By John Grant

john@inishtimes.com

An Inishowen childcare facility has lost the funding for a new 1.2m euro state-of-the-art childcare centre due to the funding deadline expiring.

The company behind Greencastle Community Childcare Centre Ltd has been unable to satisfy all the criteria imposed by the funding body and, principally, the security of the lease of the proposed site. 

The company’s efforts to meet with the landowner in order to resolve the remaining difficulties proved fruitless.

The new centre, which was to be funded by the government, would have had the capacity to accommodate more than 70 children and 20 staff and would have brought 1.2 million euro to the area.

A management committee spokesman said they were “devastated with the realisation of the potential loss of the funding for the centre as it has taken eight years of hard work and dedication as many obstacles had to be faced and overcome”.  

He said: “The new investment would have yielded a number of new jobs for the area when the centre was up and running. It is outrageous for all the staff, the volunteers, the management committee, past and present, and the wider community in general.

“This has been a long and arduous process which causes various stresses to all involved and we appreciate the patience and consideration of the members of all parties involved. The project is an exciting and exceptionally beneficial project for the community and to lose this opportunity completely, would be a tragedy for all involved.”

Donegal senator Cecilia Keaveney said: “It is with great regret that I watch this specific project hit a brick wall.

“I realise the hard work put in by many to achieve the wonderful day when the money was granted. I do not think that anyone could have predicted that it was going to face as tough a challenge as it did, so far on in the process.

“I do hope that this is not the end of the project for the Greencastle area. It will take courage to get up and start again but there are strong people involved and the community is not lacking in community spirit and I can only commit that I will help in every way possible should a new site be identified.”

The committee is on the look-out for another potential site. 

They said that, while the current grant may be de-committed, they were determined to re-apply for another grant.